Belief and Values
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What is the Intent of our Beliefs and Values curriculum?
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Our central aim is to enable and encourage our students to Aspire & Achieve to maximise their success and personal fulfilment in ethics, beliefs and values.
We aim to provide students with opportunities to develop an understanding of the influence that beliefs, values and traditions can have on individuals, communities, societies, and cultures. We endeavour to equip our students to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues, developing confidence in their own beliefs and values. Students are encouraged to reflect positively on their own identity, beliefs, values, and experiences in the light of their study whilst respecting the views that others hold that are different to their own.
In our ever-changing world the understanding of each other’s differences is more vital than ever. It is our aim to explore thoughts, ideas, and beliefs from both a religious and non-religious perspective. Pupils will be challenged in their thinking and understanding to consider other people’s thoughts and feelings.
‘It is not our differences that divide us but the inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.’ Audre Lorde
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How do we deliver our curriculum?
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At KS3 we offer a broad and balanced curriculum over three years focusing on key concepts, knowledge, skills and understanding in a mastery curriculum. At KS4, we offer GCSE Religious Studies through AQA, which covers an in-depth study of two religions as well as a variety of ethical issues.
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Well-constructed schemes of work provide a framework for planned progression and increasing levels of challenge which revolve around a spiral curriculum of assessments designed to prepare students for the demands of study at GCSE.
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Regular formative and summative assessment provide key opportunities for feedback to inform students of their next steps in learning. There are at least two assessments per year at KS3 and twelve opportunities for assessment at KS4.
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We teach B&V vocabulary which is appropriate and accurate.
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Opportunities are built into the curriculum for students to develop independence, resilience, and perseverance.
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We focus on the development of a wide range of personal, learning, thinking and character skills in B&V through opportunities such as group work, debates, RAMP and essay writing support learning progression.
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Beliefs and Values is delivered using the 21st Century Trivium model (Grammar, Dialectic, Rhetoric) so that students can think about and apply their learning in a range of challenging contexts.
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We employ metacognitive and cognitive strategies to meet the learning demands of the curriculum.
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The B&V Department identifies students for intervention at KS4.
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What is the impact of our curriculum?
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Students will have acquired the knowledge, skills and understanding in Beliefs and Values to ensure that they enjoy and make good progress in their learning.
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Data tracking in each academic year will identify progress of individual learners and key groups and will trigger appropriate interventions if required.
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Detailed analysis of GCSE (and equivalent) courses will inform future planning.
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Use of data from knowledge tests, in class extended written tasks and PPEs will monitor progress at GCSE.
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Annual departmental reviews, including work scrutiny, to establish strengths and weaknesses leading to RAG-rated departmental development plans.
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Regular reflection on the appropriateness of the curriculum will ensure that teaching, learning and assessment is appropriate and challenging.
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Monitoring ‘engagement in learning’ outcomes will reveal students’ attitude and motivation towards their learning.
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What will students learn in Year 7?
Topics
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How relevant/important is religion in today’s society?
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Christianity and injustice.
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Islam
In year 7 students reflect on the question of how relevant religion is today. Students will explore this question using religious/non-religious, philosophical, and ethical viewpoints. Students will be focussing on Christianity and Islam looking at Christian responses to injustices using Jesus’ teachings. Students will be guided through a range of historical figures e.g., MLK, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Gomez to explore how they used their faith to overcome the justices they faced. In Islam students will be asking the question what life is like in Britain for a Muslim teenager.
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What will students learn in Year 8?
Topics
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Is all life sacred?
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What is spirituality?
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Equality and Sikhism.
Using the Christian creation story students will be posed with the question is all life sacred because it is God given? Students will reflect on this question through a wide range of ethical issues spanning from the death penalty, 3D printing, transplants through to animal rights. Students will also be guided to explore the concept of spirituality, whether we have a soul and are we more than a physical being? Students will be taken on a journey to seek how they find inner peace. The religious focus will be Sikhism and asking the question is it ever possible to have equality in our society? This will be explored through the 10 Guru’s and their role in equality, the 5K’s, the Gurdwara and Langar and how women are treated.
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What will students learn in Year 9?
Topics
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The problem of evil - where does evil come from?
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What is Genocide?
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Why is there suffering in the world?
In Year 9 we open Pandora’s box to discover what is evil. We look at the problem of evil and suffering and the responses through the lens of Christianity and Buddhism. We ask the questions where does evil come from? Does evil exist and in what form? Why does God allow evil and suffering to exist in the world? This links with the work on the Holocaust and the Rwanda genocide where we explore where was God when these events happened, and can you be innocent if you stand by and do nothing?
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GCSE Course
AQA Religious Studies Specification A
Two exams (components) both worth 50% of the overall mark.
Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices.
At present we study Christianity and Buddhism.
Component 2: Thematic studies.
• Theme B: Religion and life. 
• Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict. 
• Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment.
• Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice.
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Homework and Independent Learning
As lessons are fortnightly, pupils will be given a homework each term that will contribute to an assessed piece of work in class.  
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Extra-curricular and Enrichment Opportunities
Christian Union.
Year 9 Good and Evil assessment competition.
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Useful links